burst

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason)

   a burst of applause

2. 2
   noun

   a sudden intense happening

   an outburst of heavy rain

3. 3
   verb

   to come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

   The bubble burst.

4. 4
   verb

   to break open or apart suddenly and forcefully

   The dam burst without warning.

5. 5
   verb

   to emerge suddenly

   As we came out of the shadow of the mountain, the sun burst into view.

6. 6
   verb

   to force out or release suddenly, and often violently, something pent up

   The volcano burst its lava from underground.

7. 7
   verb

   to move suddenly, energetically, or violently

   They burst out of the house into the cool night.

8. 8
   verb

   to be in a state of movement or action

   The rude customer burst to the front of the line.

Etymology

From Middle English bresten, bersten, from Old English berstan, from Proto-West Germanic *brestan, from Proto-Germanic *brestaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰres- (“to burst, break, crack, split, separate”), enlargement of *bʰreHi- (“to snip, split”). See also West Frisian boarste, Dutch barsten, Danish briste, Swedish brista; also Irish bris (“to break”)). More at brine. Also cognate to debris.